The Plunge
by drdawnffl
Summary: Rogue takes the plunge. Logan watches.


It was the first week in January. Cold, and damned if he knew why she was doing this. But she represented the school and asked him to drive. Apparently, he needed to keep up with her backpack. She briefly mentioned something about hypothermia, how if she got it, he should feel free to touch her. She laughed. He didn't get it until they arrived at the stadium parking lot.

They entered a zoo like atmosphere in the parking lot at nine on a Saturday morning. Booths were busy selling funnels cakes, pretzels, and hot chocolate. Others booths sold T-shirts and sweatshirts. And there were lots of people with dogs. Dogs wearing ribbons. Logan was embarrassed for them.

"What's this for again?" Logan asked.

"Raising money for animal shelters in New York," Rogue answered. "I have over three hundred dollars pledged. Oh, and I put you down for twenty." She gave him a big smile.

"Can't we just say you did this and go home?" he asked.

"No, Logan. We can't, but it won't take long. You may even have fun," she said. "You get to see me in a bikini." She winked at him.

"Wet?" he said.

"I will be," she said.

"White?" he asked.

"Uh, NO!" she said. "Red."

He grunted. She laughed.

Rogue checked in and was given a number and time. Logan looked around at all the people in costumes, a group of Jedi knights, clowns, Mario brothers, even some of the dogs had costumes. Logan and Rogue walked toward the crowd. A local radio station DJ announced the next team, which was a group of engineers from a local autoparts plant. The team's name was "White and Nerdy." Music blared. They marched out on the stage to the Weird Al song. All the nerds wore glasses, cut off dress pants, short sleeve button down oxford shirts with pocket protectors and horrible ties. They lined up across the stage. In front of them was the large above ground pool. It was thirty degrees, and the sun was shining. Logan saw ice in the water. The eight nerds counted down and jumped in together. They came up quickly with audible gasps.

There were two tents on the left side of the pool and two on the right. White and Nerdy moved quickly out of the pool and into the tent on the left.

"You sure you want to do this?" he said.

"It can't be that bad," she said. "Want to go with me? You are Canadian."

"I'm Canadian, not stupid," he said. "That water's cold." He wondered why she didn't bring the boy who makes ice. He was always around her. Cold water, a good deed, puppies—this was right up his alley. Storm could do this, too. Cold doesn't bother her. Even Summers would do something stupid like this for a good cause.

A group of sorority girls in short shorts and bathing suit tops walked out on stage. That got Logan's attention.

Rogue cleared her throat. "You're staring, Logan," she said.

"It just got interesting," he said as the group of girls jumped.

"Next year, I'm going to get a group from Xavier to do this," she said.

"Why didn't you this year?

"I don't know. Just wanted to do this myself. Thought I should before I asked anyone else to do it," she said. She handed Logan a camera. "I know it's stupid, but I need proof. Will you take a picture when I jump?"

He looked at the camera, like he was trying to figure it out. She showed him the buttons to hit.

"Let me see," he said. Then, he put his arm around her and held the camera out in front facing them with his other arm and took their picture.

Rogue looked at the picture. She was smiling, and he had a raised eyebrow and a smirk. She laughed at the pic. "Perfect Logan," she said and handed the camera back to him.

The DJ announced for individuals to line up to the right of the stage. Rogue and Logan walked over. Some people were changing in the tents. Rogue had her bathing suit on already. A volunteer was directing traffic. "Change here. Then line up at the steps beside the stage, we'll get you through quickly," he said.

"Well, I guess I better do this," Rogue said. She took off her hat, scarf and gloves. "I hope I don't hurt anyone," she added. She took off her coat and handed it to Logan. Logan knew how hard she was working to control her mutation, but she hadn't made any real progress yet. She slipped off her Uggs and stuffed them in her bag. She paused for a minute. She was always so covered up. This was strange. She decided to just do it fast and go get in line. She pulled off her jeans and sweatshirt and stuffed them into her backpack.

Logan stared at her. "What?" she said and looked down. She made a small adjustment to the red triangle top, but nothing was hanging out. She had tied the top tight and the knotted the strings on the sides of the bikini bottoms.

"No one has any business touching you when you look like that," he said. "If they do, they'll have to answer to me."

She smiled and handed him her backpack. "Remember to get a pic," she said and rushed off to get in line. He made his way to the pool with her coat and backpack. He took several pictures, on stage, jumping and in the pool. He rushed to the side of the pool by the ladder. He had the towel out of her backpack and wrapped it around her shoulders. She was shaking. She was smiling, but her teeth were chattering. He helped her in the tent.

"Oh my God," she said. "That was cold." She was smiling, and Logan knew she was happy. "Help me change," she said.

He crouched down beside her backpack and pulled out her clothes. She dried off with her towel. "The suit goes in the Ziploc bag," she said. She had the towel wrapped around her chest and handed Logan her bathing suit top. He took her top and handed her the sweatshirt without moving. She stood sideways in front of Logan, holding her sweatshirt in front of her and handing him the towel. He took the towel. He watched her move the sweatshirt up over her head and pull it down. For half a second, he watched her breast bounce lightly with the movement, her skin pale as cream and flawless, her nipples rosy. The sweatshirt was long, covering her ass while she pushed her bikini bottoms down. It didn't cover it as she bent over and stepped in her jeans. She pulled them up, and Logan put the bottoms in the bag. He stood up while she slipped on her Uggs.

"Still cold?" he asked.

She nodded, still shivering. Logan hadn't noticed the shivering while she was changing. He took her knit hat and pulled it on her head and brushed her wet hair back off her shoulders. His hands stayed on the back of her head and neck.

"You did good," he said. "Hypothermic?"

"Don't know," she said. "Might be."

It was fast. Over before she realized it happened. His lips were light, softer than she imagined they'd be, but they were pressed against hers. He pulled back, but was millimeters from her face. She closed the distance. This time with her lips slightly parted. He kissed her bottom lip slowly. Their tongues collided. It was brief. It was intense. She felt her power awaken and pulled back. They stared at each other. Both scared. Logan wondering what he was thinking. Rogue afraid she would hurt him.

It was a moment. That first kiss. They could ignore it. Or they could let it change everything. Neither had thought it through. Neither expected it to happen today.

"Hot chocolate?" Logan said.

"That would be great," she said. She put on her coat while he grabbed her backpack. They walked out of the tent. Both stared ahead as they walked toward the hot chocolate booth.

"You told me I could do that," he said.

"Huh?" she said.

"You told me I could touch you, if you were cold," he said.

"I did tell you that," she said.

"You didn't say where," he said. He smiled at her.

She laughed. "No, I didn't," she said.

"There were a lot of options," he said. "You should be proud of me. I picked the least obscene one."

She didn't say anything. Logan paid for the hot chocolate. They walked toward the truck. They were on the verge on having a conversation they'd never had before. One both had thought about. One with both lacking insight. Territory neither had prepared to enter.

"It's just with my skin--I don't want to hurt you," she said.

"It doesn't hurt," he said.

"I've put you in a coma," she said. "Twice." They kept on walking.

Logan stopped. "And you'll probably do it a third time," he said.

She looked incredulous, but he continued, "It will be my fault and it's OK, Marie." He pulled her to him and kissed the top of her head.

"That kiss was worth two comas," he said. Quietly, they walked to the truck. Each deep in thought as they left the polar bear plunge.

_Author's note: Thanks for reading!_


End file.
